MSHA Finds 288 Violations in Mine Safety Inspections in July 2023
MSHA has issued 1,723 violations so far in 2023.
- By Robert Yaniz Jr.
- Aug 31, 2023
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) revealed an update from its Mine Safety and Health Administration’s (MSHA) 2023 findings.
In a release dated August 30, the DOL announced that MSHA issued 288 violations and four safeguard notices after completing impact inspections at 15 mines across 12 states throughout July 2023. Eighty-two of these violations were evaluated as significant and substantial (S&S), and one had an unwarrantable failure finding.
After the 2010 Upper Big Branch Mine explosion in West Virginia resulted in the deaths of 29 miners, MSHA introduced impact inspections to be performed at mines with poor compliance history, previous accidents, injuries, illnesses and other concerns. So far in 2023, these inspections led to the identification of 1,723 violations, including 493 S&S and 23 unwarrantable failure findings.
“The Mine Safety and Health Administration continues to see fall from height accidents and issue imminent danger orders due to miners lacking fall protection,” MSHA Assistant Secretary Chris Williamson said in a statement. “MSHA is troubled that this month’s impact inspections included citations for hazards the agency has previously highlighted in safety and health alerts, such as fall accidents and hazardous chemicals.”
Williamson also revealed more than 20 miners and contractors were fatally injured—and over 1,000 were disabled or lost time—from work in fall-from-height accidents in the past decade.
About the Author
Robert Yaniz Jr. is the Content Editor of Occupational Health & Safety.